Giving up the Ghost

Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.  Matthew 27:50 (KJV)

With one last cry Jesus gave up the ghost, or He yielded up His spirit as several other translations read. 

It is a mysterious thing when one moment a creature has life in it and then the next, that spark of life is gone and there is left only a lifeless body.  That marvelous machine which is warm and taking in breath suddenly ceases completely.  The heart stops pumping blood and all goes still.  In that moment a person or animal which once could process information with its brain, loses any ability at all.  It is like snuffing out a candle, or turning off a computer.  What has actually occurred?  How can a being cease to be?

Unless we were able to cross that line and come back again, how can one know for sure.  Many people have their take on what happens after life.  It is common knowledge what happens with the lifeless body.  But what happens with the spark, the spirit or the ghost?  Where did that flame go that once burned within?  It is human nature and almost anyone who could be honest with themselves, would agree that they have at least a faint hope that the spark has gone to another place.

Each different division of the churches of Christ may hold their varied beliefs in the state of the dead.  One thing they may all agree upon however is that the God, who first set that flame alight within the being, has prepared and has a plan for those spirits.  The spirit that lived within a being ceases to be limited to the old laws which governed over the physical body.  If we believe in an Almighty God who designed and sustains and the Holy Scriptures is where we learn of Him, then we must listen to what He says when He tells us of His plan.

The Bible makes it quite clear that what we see in our temporary habitat here on earth is not the final end to us.  He has a plan and He is patiently working it out. 

So when we read that Jesus yielded up His spirit, we may consider the fact that Jesus handed back that spirit which moments before burned within His body.  Where would that spirit go?  You or I do not need to know nor can we see into that realm to argue our better take.  But we can know that God knows, and has it under control.  You may like to think that the dead in Christ are sleeping, or that those souls are under the throne of God.  You might prefer to think that those who went before are up there somewhere walking around in heaven already.  Or perhaps you think that the flame has just gone out completely.

Whatever your take, perhaps we can all agree that wherever we go, we are in the great, capable hand of God.  In His provision and love, He is still working out His great plan and is ever nearer to His goal.  It may be comforting to leave the dispute with Him and offer up our simple faith in that plan and His mercy and grace.

Dear Lord, as we consider ¨giving up the ghost,¨ let us focus our attention on WHO we would give it to.  What we cannot see and what we cannot fathom let us offer to You as a fragrant offering to float before Your throne.  Comfort us with the fact that You are working out Your plan as we see in the account of Jesus Christ.  Continue to prepare each of us, not to be able to deal with the fact of death, but prepare us for You.  Let us be made happy and ready to give to You that what always belonged to You in the first place.  So take our spirit, our spark, our ghost now and on that day when it finally does leave our body, this way we will know it rests with You.

Amen